Happy Mother's Day to all my mothers...

Everyone has at least one mom. There is your mom who gave you birth. Then there is those "moms" who have had a major influence in your life. Very rarely are they related to you. Often they are your friend's moms, but commonly they are a mentor or teacher who guided you to a certain path.

I write this in honor of all of them.

To my Birth mom, Jacqueline Buritsch(may she rest in peace). Of course she was a guiding force. I see that I am a lot like her. I never really told her I loved her before she died.

To Christine Wilkes. She was my fifth grade teacher and later became my brother's fourth grade teacher. When I was in her class she was out for a while during the time she was recuperating from a form of cancer and was right by our family's side and actually came to Tarrith's hospital room to deliver his work directly to him when he was suffering from a form of pneumonia (they thought). She kept in touch with our family and was right there during my mom's cancer.

To Susan Hull. She was a Gallery assistant at the SLSC and is now the Gallery Leader of the Discovery Room there. She was like a mom to me when I volunteered and later worked at the SC. She liked to tease that I had been at the SC since I was in diapers.

To Grandma Alice (may she rest). The only memory that stuck out in my mind in regards to her was about a week before she passed away. I had just gotten my first pair of pointe shoes. I found out from mom that she used to toe dance so I brought my first pair of toe shoues to her and I sat down next to here and learned how to sew the laces in (since the toe shoes do not come with the laces already on).

To Aunt Helen. Technically she is my great-aunt but after her sister and my grandma Alice passed away she was like a grandma to me.

To Gram Buritsch. We have had a lot of fun times. She and gramp bought a summer cabin when I was on my way to give us kids a place to relax. I remember of number of videos that grandpa had taped of us raking leaves up and jumping into them. Gram recently quit driving (in part in reaction to an accident she had over a year ago) and probably will be selling the cabin since our family does not really use it at all since dad remarried.

To Kathy Buritsch. My dad recently married in early August of last year. I cannot say that I feel like she is a "mom" in the sense that my mother, Mrs. Hull, or Mrs. Wilkes are, but she is, by definition, a (step)mom.

To the other Mrs. B's. Both Mrs. Breihan and Mrs. Barnes were mom's to a degree. After mom passed away I saw talked and learned from them to a degree.

To Mrs. Taylor. Rhema's mom may have been one busy mom, but both her and Mr. Taylor were pretty close to our family.

In closing I'm wishing a Happy Mother's Day to one mom that has not been a "mom" as much as a "sister." LarLar is the mom to Brooke, her little daughter.